Toothpicks and method of making same



Sept. 11, 1956 w. T. CAMERON ,7

TOOTHPICKS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Feb. 28, 1955 ATTORNETOOTHPICKS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME William T. Cameron, Thompson, Conn.

Application February '28, 1955, Serial No. 491,050

9 Claims. (Cl. 20629) This invention relates to improvements intoothpicks and has particular reference to the provision of a novelpacket of toothpicks and method of making same.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a novelpacket of toothpicks and method of making the same embodying a pluralityof relatively thin toothpicks formed of non-toxic plastic materialsecured in a container having portions that may be folded over thetoothpicks to provide a sanitary packet which may be carried on theperson of an individual and from which the toothpicks may be selectivelyremoved with ease and without having exposed roughened or protrudingedges thereon which might cause injury to the user.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character with anassortment of toothpicks having end portions which are shapeddifferently and in accordance with the location one desires to gainaccess to for the removal of foreign matter from the teeth.

Another object is to provide a plurality of toothpicks which are formedof relatively thin non-toxic sheet plastic material having reducedweakened sections integrally attaching them with a base support by whichthey may be secured within a folding type container for retaining saidtoothpicks in a sanitary conditions and which weakened sections willreadily permit the toothpicks to be individually and easily broken awayfrom said base support.

Another object is to provide reduced weakened sections of the abovecharacter which are located in recessed areas which are so formed thatwhen a toothpick is broken away from its base support no roughened edgesor protruding portions will be exposed to cause possible injury to theuser.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofa novel construction, combination, and method, as will be hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein there isdisclosed, only by way of illustration, certain embodiments of theinvention. It, therefore, is to be understood that many variations andmodifications may 'be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of thedevice embodying the inventionshowing the cover portion thereof in open position;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the cover inclosed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 andlooking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged face view of the toothpicks and the integralsupport therefor;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating how thetoothpicks are individually removed from the support; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a modified form of the 7 invention.

nited States Patent O spaced relation with each other.

2,762,501 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 'ice Referring to the drawings whereinlike characters of reference designate like parts throughout the severalviews, the device embodying the invention comprises a plurality oftoothpicks 7 having different end configurationsS, 8a, and 8b formedthereon in accordance with the intended and desired use of saidtoothpicks. The said toothpicks 7 are preferably formed by blanking themfrom relatively thin non-toxic sheet plastic material such as vinyl andthey are formed in attached relation with a base support 9 by integrallyrelated reduced weakened sections 10. The reduced sections 10 aredisposed within recessed areas 11, formed during said blanking, in theopposed sides of the lower portions of the toothpicks at locationsspaced inwardly of the lower pointed end portions 12 thereof. The lowerend portions 12 are so blanked as to lie within cut-out areas 12a insaid base support whereby bending strain on the toothpicks will bedirected to said weakened sections.

The base support 9 is provided with a reinforcing strip 13 of cardboardor other suitable material. The strip 13 is of a size and shape similarto said base and is superimposed therewith when said base is sandwichedbetween an outer wall 14 and a folded lip 15 of a protective housing 16.The housing 16 is formed of sheet cardboard or the like and is providedon its opposed end with a folded portion 18 terminating in a coverportion 19. The base 9, reinforcing strip 13, and folded lip 15 aresecured to the rear wall 14 by a suitable staple or the like 17. The end20 of the cover portion19 is adapted to be tucked in between the lip 15and the toothpicks 7, as shown in Fig. 3, to seal the toothpicks thereinand to provide a sanitary packet.

When a toothpick is desired all that is required is to open the coverportion 19 and exert a bending and twisting action on the desiredtoothpick whereby it willreadily break away from the base at theweakened sections 10 as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5.

It is particularly pointed out that the breaking points are locatedinwardly of the plane of the recessed side edges 22 and 23 so that if aroughened edge should remain, as diagrammatically illustrated at 21, andsaid end of said toothpick is made use of, the said roughened edge willnot be exposed for engagement with the flesh of the lip, tongue or gumsto cause possible injury thereto.

It has been previously stated that the packet comprises a plurality oftoothpicks .having differently shaped. outer end portions for selectionin accordance with their intended use. For example, a pointed end suchas 8 may be selected for straight picking, 8a for gaining access to moredifiicult locations between the teeth, and 8b for more readily gainingaccess to the rear of the teeth, depending upon the locating of theforeign matter to be removed.

terial from which said toothpicks are formed is of a thinness sufficientto enable them to be placed between the teeth, assuming, of course, thatthe teeth are in normal Sheet plastic material which is resilient, yetrigid, is-prefcrable. All of the parts are prefer-ably formed inintegral relation with the base by a single blanking operation and aplurality of assemblies may be successively formed by directing a thinsheet of plastic material progressively and intermittently o beneath areciprocating blanking die of the commonly known type.

If desired, the effective end portions of the toothpicks may be providedwith a coating of medicant or flavoring material.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple, efiicient,and economical means and method have been provided for accomplishing allof the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a baseof relatively thin material secured thereto, a plurality of spacedrelatively long and thin toothpick members disposed transversely of saidbase each having opposed pointed end portions, said members having theiropposed side edges recessed at locations spaced inwardly of one of thepointed ends thereof and weakened sections intermediate the bottoms ofsaid recesses in tegrally connecting said toothpick members to saidbase, said weakened sections being adapted to break inwardly of saidrecesses when a pick is removed from the base.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a baseof relatively thin material secured thereto, said base having aplurality of spaced openings therein, a plurality of spaced relativelylong and thin toothpick members each having a pointed end portion lyingin a respective opening in said base and having recessed side edgesspaced inwardly of said pointed end portions and weakened sections lyingwithin said recesses and integrally connecting said toothpick members tosaid base adjacent the tops of the respective openings.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing formed ofsheet material having a relatively narrow fold adjacent one end thereof,a back wall portion and a cover portion foldable toward and away fromsaid back wall portion, said cover portion having a free edge adapted tobe fitted within the narrow fold, a base secured inwardly of said narrowfold, said base comprising relatively thin sheet material havingspacedopen areas dis posed transversely thereof, a plurality of long andthin spaced toothpick members each having a lower pointed end disposedin a respective opening in said base and reduced relatively thin tiemembers integrally joining said ends to said base at locations adjacentthe tops of the openings.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing formed ofsheet material having a relatively narrow fold adjacent one end thereof,a back wall portion and a cover portion foldable toward and away fromsaid back wall portion, said cover portion having a free edge adapted tobe fitted within the narrow fold, a base secured inwardly of said narrowfold, said base comprising a relatively thin sheet of non-toxic plasticmaterial having spaced open areas disposed transversely thereof, aplurality of long and thin spaced toothpick members of nontoxic plasticmaterial each having a lower pointed end disposed in a respectiveopening in said base and being integrally joined to said base by reducedweakened portions spaced inwardly of said ends and adjacent the tops ofsaid openings.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing formed ofsheet material having a relatively narrow fold adjacent one end thereof,a back wall portion and a cover portion foldable toward and awayfromsaid back wall portion, said cover portion having a free edgeadapted to be fitted within the narrow fold, a base secured inwardly ofsaid narrow fold, said base comprising relatively thin sheet materialhaving spaced open areas disposed transversely thereof, a plurality oflong and thin spaced toothpick members of non-toxic plastic materialeach having a pointed end disposed in a respective open area in saidbase and being integrally joined to said base by weakened portionsspaced inwardly of said ends and located adjacent the tops of said openareas, said toothpicks being treated with means for altering the flavorcharacteristics thereof.

6. A device of the character described comprising a base of relativelythin material, a plurality of spaced relatively long and thin toothpickmembers disposed transversely of said base, each of said members havingopposed pointed end portions and having their opposite side edgesrecessed at locations spaced inwardly of one of said pointed ends andrelatively narrow weakened sections integrally connecting said base tosaid respective toothpick members inwardly of said recesses whereby saidweakened sections are adapted to break inwardly of said recesses when atoothpick member is removed from the base.

7. A device of the character described comprising a base of relativelythin material having spaced open areas transversely thereof, a pluralityof spaced relatively long and thin toothpick members each having a freelower end portion disposed inwardly of a respective open area and anopposed pointed end portion, said toothpicks, adjacent said lower freeend portions, having their opposed side edges recessed at locationsspaced inwardly of said ends and relatively narrow sections integrallyconnecting said base to the respective recesses and having their weakestportions inwardly of said recesses whereby said sections are adapted tobreak inwardly of said recesses when a toothpick member is removed fromthe base.

8. A device of the character described comprising a base of relativelythin material having spaced open areas transversely thereof, a pluralityof spaced relatively long and thin toothpick members each having a lowerpointed end disposed inwardly of a respective open area and an opposedpointed end, said toothpicks, on the opposed sides thereof adjacent saidlower pointed ends, having recesses therein and angularly disposedinwardly tapering weakened sectionsintegrally connecting said base tothe respective recesses whereby said weakened sections are adapted tobreak inwardly of said recesses when a toothpick member is removed fromthe base.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of a base anda plurality of spaced relatively long and narrow members formed inintegrally connected relation with said base from relatively thin sheetmaterial, said base having a plurality of spaced open areas extendingthroughout the width and on the side thereof toward said members, saidmembers each having an inwardly tapering end portion lying inwardly of arespective open area in said base and having notches in the opposed sideedges thereof adjacent said inwardly tapering end portions and saidintegral connections comprising reduced portions on said base extendinginwardly of the respective notches and integrally joined with the basesof said notches.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS817,978 Lickman Apr. 17, 1906 973,842 Baird Oct. 25, 1910 1,451,380Thurn H. -1 Apr. 10, 1923 1,658,321 Zomnir Feb. 7, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS440,971 Germany Nov. 24, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES 25 Modern Plastics, page77, February 1948.

